Free Avalanche Dance by Ellen Schwartz Page B

Bridget shakes her head. “What’s happened to you, Molly?”
    I don’t know if she means
Where have you been?
or
What have
you turned into?
I pretend she means the first. “Oh, I’ve been around … you know … hanging out …”
    She gives me a look. I’m not fooling her. “I don’t hear good things.”
    I look away. “Does Andrew know?” I ask in a low voice.
    She gives a strangled laugh. “Andrew? No. Andrew’s mostly been unconscious. On top of that, Gwen thinks she’s injured. Percy’s a mess. And I …” She runs a hand through her wavy black hair. She doesn’t finish. She doesn’t have to. There’ve always been lines in her face, vertical lines down her cheeks, horizontal lines in her forehead – but now they’re deeper. There are dark shadows under her eyes. She looks old.
    We stand there. I don’t know what to say. Just then a car door slams. Cal lumbers over. There’s an awkward moment when he looks at her. He starts to put out his hand, then reaches out and hugs her instead. “Bridget, I’m so sorry about Andrew. How is he doing?”
    She tells him. He pats her shoulder, looking embarrassed. Then he looks at me and clears his throat.
    “All right, we all know why we’re here, so we’d better get on with it,” Cal says, and he explains how things are going to work. I’m to report to Bridget’s every weekday after school. He gives Bridget a form to keep track of when I come, when I leave, and what work I do. He won’t come with me every time, but he’ll pop in once in a while to make sure I’m doing what I’m supposed to. When I’ve completed the thirty hours, Bridgetwill sign the form and my community work service will be over.
    “One more thing,” he says, glancing from me to Bridget, his cheeks coloring a little. “Just because we’re neighbors doesn’t mean we can cut corners. Everything has to be done right. Is that clear?”
    “Yes,” I say.
    “Yes,” Bridget says.
    “Good. Just needed to get that out of the way.” His cheeks color more. I actually feel sorry for him. It can’t be easy having to enforce the law with people you’ve known all your life. “So, Bridget, what would you like Molly to do today?”
    She shrugs. “God, I don’t know. There’s a million things that need doing. How about if she starts by bringing in firewood? And splits a basket of kindling? Is that the kind of thing I’m supposed to give her?”
    “Whatever you like.”
    “Okay. That’ll be good for today.”
    Cal nods. “All right, I’ll leave you to it. Don’t forget to keep up with that form. And Molly, if Bridget’s not here, you can enter the information yourself. I think we can trust her to do that, don’t you, Bridget?”
    She stares at me. “Absolutely.”
    My eyes fill again.
    Cal motions for me to walk him to his car. He glances at me, then at his shoes. “Word’s going around that you weren’t alone in the cabin, Molly. You don’t have to take this punishment alone.”
    I feel my cheeks flame. “It was just me.”
    “That’s hard to believe.”
    I don’t answer.
    He sighs. “All right, if that’s the way you want it. But listen, Molly. This can be a new beginning for you. Get yourself straightened out. Do your service and start over. We’re … uh … we’re all pulling for you.”
    My throat clenches. He looks at me, gets in his car, and drives away.
    I head for the woodshed. From behind I hear a shout of “Molly!” and a little boy barrels into me.
    “Percy!”
    He throws his arms around me. Then, as if realizing what he’s doing, he lets me go. Looking embarrassed, he says, “I’ve missed you.”
    “I’ve missed you too.”
    “You have?” His freckled face lights up. Then he frowns. “Then how come you don’t come over anymore?”
    “Oh, well … you know how it is … things change.”
    And not just between me and Gwen
, I think. Percy’s changed too. Gotten taller, leaner. At nine, he’s less of a little boy. But it’s